Anyone pony to help build fitness on 2 horses at once? I am an adult amateur who owns 2 horses that I want to compete at low levels and doesn’t seem to have enough hours in the day some days to get both horses ridden. I was thinking that it may be a good idea to ride one and pony the other on days I don’t have time to do both, either because of a 12 hour work day or the shortening days. Anyone do the same? Is it even worth it?
I haven’t, but I’m pretty sure this is what the polo people do, since they usually have several horses.
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I used to moonlight as a polo groom and can confirm this is how they keep all those horses fit. It’s normal to do walk/trot (and maybe canter) sets with 3 horses at a time. It won’t fine tune a horse the way riding does but it will exercise them and build their cardiovascular fitness and endurance (similar to how jogging works in humans), especially if you do it on hilly surfaces. If I owned a second horse I would definitely rotate and pony. Most horses with decent temperaments like bringing their buddies along since they are herd animals after all.
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We did this with driving ponies and it builds a ton of fitness…for them and you! I also pony our youngsters to expose them to as much as possible before they are going under saddle.
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I ponied polo ponies as a totally ignorant kid… as long as both horses know their manners it’s great. Though I did have one time when all 3 horses spooked and took off at a flat out gallop. I didn’t know which one to try to stop first!
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Yes. I do it all the time… but while you are ponying, you won’t be able to school the horse being ridden… It’s useful for doing trot/canter sets and getting exposure or fitness in on a horse, but don’t expect to be schooling dressage while doing it. :winkgrin:
It’s great for trails, or if you have limited time.
I prefer to pony in a rope halter, vs a bridle or regular halter, as I think it has more control and also, in the event a horse breaks free (which will happen from time to time), you aren’t risking breaking valuable tack.
Teach the horses to ground-tie and accept ropes in/around them, legs, neck, flank, first. Teach them verbal commands for stopping (“and whoah” is mine) as sometimes the horse being ponied will want to get ahead of the horse ridden.
Most race-broke or polo-broke TBs have been ponied at some point so will have basics down… so it’s more about refining their understanding the first few times.
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Both are tbs. I know 1 knows how to pony very well because we have done it many times before (he also raced). The other didn’t race, so he is not as broke to it currently, but we have been playing around with it.
I’ll have to try to find a rope halter that i like better than the one I have currently. That sounds like a good idea for the younger one who doesn’t want to stay right next to me the whole time.
Thanks!! I’ve been wanting to do hacks out back, but the drendling daylight prevents me from getting both back there in a day, so if I pony both can get a “hack” in.
I like ponying in a training Micklem using the lunging ring on nose band. I have been ponying horses most of my life, have used halters, rope halters, and lunging cavessons. Yes, many of us old eventers ponied to get fitness done.
Yes, another regular Ride and Lead -er here (as we call it in the UK). Walk, trot and canter work is pretty easy once they are used to it. Always ride the less experienced one and lead the more experienced. If you’re riding on roads, always have the led horse between the verge and the ride horse - ie away from the traffic.
Getting on to your horse solo is probably the trickiest bit, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. Actually thinking about it, you probably lead on the other side given you drive on the other side of the road so maybe it’s less hard.
If you are mixing horses and traffic - or doing canter work, or just aren’t sure about behaviour always use a bridle on the led horse. Someone mentioned ruining good tack - you can use a lead rope off the bit if you’re worried about tripping on reins, but personally I prefer reins. Always feed the leadrein or reins through one bit ring and attach to the other (the one further from the ridden horse) so you aren’t just pulling on one side of the bit.
I always tried to alternate ridden/led horses as all of mine got very familiar with the process. I would caution against doing it every day, as much for your riding as anything else. I find if I ride and lead every day without riding solo I do start to sit slightly crooked - my upper body twisting very slightly towards the led horse.
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Absolutely, You can help the ponied horse with side reins, once you have gotten him/her used to being ponied. I pony at w/t/c with side reins (only on the horse I am leading) so that I’m encouraging a correct way of going.
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Ponying is the only way I can keep two horses going between work and daylight. I usually hike the hills with them and sometimes nice long trots, do it for the long slow work. I use a rope halter and a long western lead shank with a twist snap so it can’t come undone easily. Both horses wear boots. I wear gloves and never spurs – don’t want anything to hang up the rope in. I also have a nylon yoke I use to just loop the lead rope through so I’d have a little extra leverage if I ran into trouble. The horses love it as then they are out in the scary woods with their friend!
I have found that I have to ride the dominant one and pony the lower man on the totem pole, which is usually the less experienced one. But another vote for doing it for the reasons you are talking about. I am lucky as they live in a hilly 70 acre field, so I just do it in their own field - minimizes the chances for disaster if something goes wrong…
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